Gone (or Mind Games) is the first book in a series featuring Dr Augusta Bloom and it was only whilst writing this review that I found out there is another book due out in April 2020 so I’m absolutely thrilled and have already pre-ordered it.

Dr Augusta Bloom works in London as a psychologist with her ex-M16 agent/Private Investigator partner Marcus Jameson. When Lana, a family friend of Marcus, disappears on her birthday leaving a young teenage daughter behind they start to investigate and find Lana is one of several, seemingly unconnected people who has disappeared on their birthday leaving their lives and families behind after receiving a “birthday card” inviting them to play a game.

I absolutely love psychological thrillers especially when they feature strong female characters and Gone has two brilliantly feisty, slightly unhinged and utterly wonderful characters: Dr Augusta Bloom and teenage psychopath Seraphine who are thrown together at the beginning of the book and have a history and connection which affects both women with devastating consequences.

Highly addictive and a fabulous debut novel full to the brim with twists and turns and I absolutely, completely and thoroughly recommend it (can’t wait for book 2 now)

This was a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The characters were likeable and interesting. I was constantly wanting to find out what happened to Dr Blooms son. The development of the story was consistent and timed perfectly. I will now look for more books from Leona Deakin.

I really didn't know what to expect when a copy of Gone popped through my letterbox but the blurb alone had me intrigued and I wasn't disappointed. The central character is criminal pscyhologist Dr Augusta Bloom who is asked to get involved in a missing persons case by her business partner Marcus Jameson, an ex MI6 officer. The missing woman Lana is a friend of his sister who has seemingly walked out and left her teenage daughter Jane.

As soon as they start looking into Lana's case they soon realise that this isn't quite a random case as first thought, there seems to be a connection to other strangers who have also gone missing. The one thing that they all had in common was that they had each gone missing on their birthdays after receiving a card inviting them to play a game. How and why they were selected, and where were they now, were the all important questions that needed answering. However it would appear that social media had a large part to play, it would appear that these people were selected and chosen to undergo some pretty criminal activities based on their borderline personalities after filling in the innocent looking quizzes and tests you often see online.

At first I was a little confused as it appeared as though there were two very different stories being told, both with Augusta Bloom at the heart of it, but the more the book progressed the more it became clear that these two were in fact connected. Just how so we had to be patient and wait for everything to come to light, one part I had figured out but not fully so like Augusta and Marcus I had to wait for everything to play out for the full reveal.

I've always been fascinated by the human psyche and what makes people tick so the fact that Augusta was a criminal psychologist appealed to me although personally I did find her quite a hard character to warm to. She seemed extremely reserved and closed off, not letting people in not even Marcus who despite working alongside her for a few years doesn't know much about her past. Mind you he's not without his own fair share of skeletons. I really liked this partnership, they really seemed to balance each other out so I was extremely happy to discover that there is going to be another book in the series next year.

I hate to be cliche but Gone really was a page turner of a read, from about the mid way point I was hooked by the suspense and mind games at play and could not put the book down until it had reached its conclusion. I can't wait for more of hopefully the same in Lost when it is published in April 2020.

Gone is a brilliant debut, a psychological thriller introducing the investigative duo of Marcus Jameson and Dr Augusta Bloom.
Marcus, a former secret agent and Dr Bloom, a psychologist seem an unlikely duo but clearly work well together. A strange case is brought to their attention involving the disappearance of several individuals, one of whom in known to Marcus. These people have disappeared after receiving a birthday card inviting them to play a game, simply leaving their loved ones and their ordinary lives behind. The police seem uninterested in these cases so it is up to Marcus and Dr Bloom to trace their whereabouts. It quickly becomes apparent something very sinister is taking place, with disappearances widespread. Could this be the work of a group or a single individual and why are certain people targeted??
The narrative switches between the investigation and the everyday work Dr Bloom carries out, focusing on the sessions she has with a school girl Seraphine who is accused of a serious crime. What connection, if any, is there between these sessions and the ongoing case. Read on and all will be revealed.
This is a dark novel with a cleverly constructed plot keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. It is obvious the author has a background in psychology to write so eloquently about the workings of an evil mind. Aside from the fact this is a work of fiction, I found the subject of what makes a person a psychopath absolutely fascinating. Can DrBloom’s experience in the field help solve this mystery?
Fast paced with moments where your heart is racing, poised on the edge of your seat, Gone is a real page turner. With an amazing, explosive twist that I didn’t see coming, this book is a difficult one to put down. This author is one to watch! Many thanks to the author and publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read ahead of publication.

‘The missing people aren’t in danger. They’re the dangerous ones.’ This tagline was more than enough to catch my eye and I was totally engaged by the narrative and the action. This is a very impressive debut novel which explores the world and perceptions of the psychopath. The author is a psychologist who writes with confidence and skill about this intriguing subject matter. She is talented enough to avoid the trap of turning a story into a discourse about a psychological condition.

Four strangers have vanished after receiving a birthday card which invites them to play a game. They are all adults so the police are unconcerned. Psychologist, Augusta Bloom and her business partner, ex-MI6 operative, Marcus Jameson, are asked to look into the disappearance of one of the four. They soon discover that something extremely unpleasant is taking place and they are gradually becoming part of the game.

This was a fascinating read with an authentic exploration of the nature of psychopathy. The rapport between the cool and analytical Bloom and the more explosive Jameson is very well created and the menace of the other characters is palpable. The drama moves at pace and the tension is built effectively. As Bloom and Jameson are drawn deeper into the game it becomes a race to rescue themselves as well as others.

I really enjoyed this intelligent thriller and will certainly avoid doing any online personality quizzes in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Transworld Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gone is one of those rare books where I felt like I’d known the main characters for ages, and one where I’m already looking forward to the next instalment,

It was a clever premise that provided a thrilling and action-packed read, the only slight negative, no actually not negative just a thing to point out, is that I’d sort of worked it out by the middle of the book. I do want to assure you though, that it didn’t in any way, affect my total enjoyment of the book at all.

Augusta Bloom, along with Marcus Jameson, are fabulous protagonists; a rather detached psychologist and ex-MI6 officer respectively. They blended together really well, with Jameson being an immediately open character, and Bloom more of a bud slowly, well, blooming, but both were very likeable.

Gone is a very promising debut from Leona Deakin and I’m eager to watch Jameson and Bloom facing their next mystery.

Gripping from start to finish, and a somewhat unique twist to the story line.
Can't wait for the next instalment. Well worth reading.

I never repeat the blurb...absolutely superb...a well researched and gripping tale...only down to 4**as I had guessed the twist, but there's another instalment coming soon and I can't wait...

Wow this is just an absolute blinder of a book. Gripping, tense and action packed. I was on the edge of my sofa holding my breath all the way through.

A must read.

Gone was completely different to other Mystery/Crime/Thriller books I have read in the past and I was honestly hooked from start to finish.Even though the premise is pretty unlikely to occur in real life, I liked that it was possible. I wouldn't put it past some people to play such games.

The plot was suspenseful and kept me on my toes 95% of the time, and I really enjoyed reading about protagonist Dr Augusta Bloom.

I loved the light in which social media was addressed in this book. The idea of filling in "random" questionnaires on Facebook, Twitter etc has never really appealed to me personally, however I do know a good few people who complete these kind of forms out of either boredom or interest in finding out what type of animal or celebrity personality they are. I would love for these people to read Gone and consider the consequences!

I managed to spot a couple of minor twists before they happened, but not quite to their full extent. I thought this was perfect as it meant I picked up on a couple of clues, but the author held enough back to surprise me.

I have both a good and bad relationship with the ending of this book. I really liked how things were not absolutely perfect at the end. Things were wrapped up and questions were answered, but it wasn't all 'happily ever after'. However there were some very small aspects I didn't agree with. Now this could be due to my lack of experience in the legal system so I think its best I don't think too much into them, but overall I thought it was an exceptionally well written and interesting read and i look forward to more of Leona's work.

Gone by Leona Deakin is a unique psychological thriller from the author and her debut novel.
The story starts with Dr Augusta Bloom who specialises in Child psychology counselling 14-year-old Seraphine Walker. She has been accused of stabbing the Caretaker of the school. They do not know the reason why. Seraphine has Psychotic tendencies. Then Dr Augusta Bloom is then asked by her partner Marcus Jameson (ex MI6) to investigate 4 missing people. One of which is a family friend. The 4 people have gone missing after receiving birthday cards inviting them to ‘play a game’. First, they think it is a bit of harmless fun but, when more people go missing under unusual circumstances. They realise that something is not right about the disappearances and they seem to become linked in some way. Marcus and Augusta decide to investigate what’s happening to these disappearances without the help of the police.
I liked the premise of this story. I found it original and intriguing and full of suspense But, along the way I got confused to what is going on. 4 stars from me. Thank you NetGalley and Random house for a copy of this book.

Having been asked for help by a young girl whose mother ,Lana ,has disappeared Marcus Jameson , a retired MI6 agent decides to help . He enlists the help of his business partner Augusta Bloom who is a Psychologist with issues from the past ,after a teenage patient had committed suicide . In trying to locate Lana they discover a larger number of people missing , all around their Birthday and having received a white Birthday Card inviting them to join in a game . It transpires that all these people have one thing in common and the game is being played out with one intention . A different sort of story with plenty of twists as the tale unfolds and a shock ending .

Thank you #NetGalley for an advance copy of Gone in exchange of my honest review.

It took me quite a while to understand what was going on as there are two simultaneous stories that were told at the same time.

I am not sure how this will be sorted out in the physical copy but in the ebook, the stories weren't separated properly, they were talked about in the same chapter. I would be reading about a story and the next paragraph would be talking about other story.

That was quite confusing and I admit that I enjoyed the book a bit less for that reason.

However, there was something very addictive and I wanted to find out what that was.

I liked the story about Seraphine a lot more that the one about the disappearances. The whole thing was a bit odd and I had to push myself to keep reading as I didn't find it too interesting.

By the time I got to half way, I was as lost as at the beginning. I didn't know where things were going, what was happening or how the planned to solve the situation.

Regarding the two main characters, the detectives Bloom and Jameson, I couldn't connect with them. I didn't dislike them but I didn't care for them either. They were normal people for me and that made a bit detached from the story.

Although I think the main idea is great and it is very well worked, it just didn't work for me. I like thrillers and this one is a good one but there was so much going on and so quick that I was too lost to like it.

The end was good. I didn't expect the final twist and, to be honest, I had no idea that that was how the book was gonna end but like I said before, in general this story didn't work for me.

This original dark, psychological thriller has tension in bucketloads. People are sent a card on their birthday saying ‘Happy First Birthday’ and then they completely disappear. What has happened to them? Leaving behind devastation, their families are puzzled and distraught. Marcus Jameson who knows one of the missing people and his business partner Dr Augusta Bloom intend to discover the truth. Understanding the true meaning of a psycopath has the reader wondering just how many they could actually know! A great read, and a true page turner, only the very end being slightly disappointing but this in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the book.

Introducing Dr Augusta Bloom and her business partner Marcus Jameson in a chilling psychological thriller.

What starts out as a missing person case, when Marcus is asked by his sister to look into her friends strange disappearance suddenly becomes something much more with a discovery of a game being played, people are receiving first birthday cards asking them if they dare to play a game then promptly going missing.

It appears someone is trying to recruit psychopaths

For a debut this is a very intelligent polished read, it’s clever, whilst not frantically paced like some in the genre, but enough to keep you interested and turning pages.

I didn’t overly take to Augusta, I was more Inclined to Marcus, both main characters have secrets they don’t want to talk about and if this is the start of the new series which it feels like, I think there is a bit than can be done with this duo, and I’ll be interested to see what’s next.

Tightly plotted and very current, with the uses of Tor, the dark web, and social media, it's a book that will give you pause to think about your social media behaviour.

Some nice ideas and a bit different , this stands out, and you can tell the author works in the profession as she clearly knows her stuff but she writes in a way for anyone to understand, you aren’t overloaded with terminology.

I like the ending as it wasn’t the usual, again something fresh,

A clever thriller, with some fresh ideas from a new voice who knows her subject matter.

Recommended

4🔥🔥🔥🔥

Really enjoyed this novel. Excellent storyline build up and fascinating characters bring this story to life. I will definitely reading more books by this talented author.

A different debut with psychological thrills!

This is a delightful debut for Leona Deakin ... I was hooked from the outset, and Leona reeled me in!

What an unusual beginning! "Your gift is the game. Dare to play!"

Initially, four people received birthday cards, but they were the first to go missing. It looked reasonably harmless... but this made Dr Augusta Bloom feel that maybe something sinister was going on underneath this online game. Sure enough, more people start to disappear in strange circumstances, even as many as one hundred!

'Mind Games' is the perfect title, making this psychological thriller a real page-turner. I enjoyed the relationship between Augusta and Marcus Jameson, an ex M16 Agent. They are the perfect protagonists who mold together beautifully.

Augusta specialises in the minds of psychopaths. It soon becomes clear that all of the missing people have mental health problems.

I also found that the issue of psychopaths and sociopaths was raised? I'll leave the outcome for the readers to decide. There are several unusual characters, and I was particularly intrigued by Seraphine and how she fitted into the plot. Thank you, Leona Deakin, for this twisty thriller. I'll look out for your next offering.

Galadriel.

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review.

This novel has a strong opening. It drew me in quickly. However, the idea of a game that people choose to join abandoning their normal lives is difficult to believe. I can understand people looking for more information out of curiosity, but to leave their life to play a game is unrealistic. Maybe if I were a psychopath I would understand it!
Seraphine is an interesting character and the description used in the opening scene of the aftermath of the initial event is well-written. There is a good misdirection in this novel, which I won't detail here as I do not want to give any spoilers to people who haven't read it.
I hadn’t anticipated a twist late on, so that was a thought-provoking surprise and there are some interesting touches.
I have read many books recently that are extremely poorly edited and this, unfortunately, was no exception, which is surprising from a publisher such as Penguin Random House UK. What exactly do editors do for their salaries nowadays, because it isn’t editing? It is little things like a missing hyphen, huge spaces mid-sentence, an asterisk at the start of a sentence for no fathomable reason – perhaps this is still a draft and the editing is yet to be done?
The chapters jump from one character's point of view to another with no break to indicate the change. This made me stumble and have to re-read each time. In other places there were line spaces where there shouldn’t be, which lead to a stilted read.
There is a profound overuse of the word ‘elegant’ at one point. If this was intentional, I can see no reason for it and again, it interrupted my reading flow.
Worth a read if you can get past the lack of editing and suspend belief over the storyline.

People have been going missing.
They receive a birthday card inviting them to play a game. But, this is no regular game. There is something more sinister at play.
What better duo to solve the case than Marcus Jameson, an ex MI6 secret agent. And, Augusta Bloom, a criminal psychologist.
The author is a psychologist herself, and she uses her experience and knowledge perfectly to get points across in a simplified version for the reader to follow the story along. I have learnt a lot about traits of different personalities by reading Gone.

This story is full of mysteries that unfold throughout and keeps us guessing as to why are all these people playing such a sinister game.

I figured out pretty early what the outcome was, I did hope I was wrong because the character that gave it away didn't sit right with me. I would have preferred a more long standing character (I'm trying not to give spoilers, so may come across confusing 🙈)

I liked the partnership between Augusta and Marcus, they bounced off each other and it brought another dimension into the story.

Overall this was a great debut thriller by the author, and I will look forward to read more from her.

I love how original this novel is. With missing person cases in fiction, it’s often a case of the individual(s) having been kidnapped or otherwise forced to leave by the perpetrators. But what if the people who have gone missing have done so voluntarily? What would make someone leave behind everyone and everything they know? Such is the case in Gone. For the families of the missing, this makes things difficult, as the police don’t have time for cases of people who leave willingly, especially as they are all adults. As Dr Augusta Bloom becomes involved, she seeks a common link between those who have gone missing, and while I don’t want to get into the detail at all, it’s an exciting and original concept.

Augusta is an interesting character. A psychologist, she comes across as being somewhat clinical and dispassionate. While she has to be outwardly calm for her career, this did make it a little hard for me to warm to her initially, and I got very little sense of what she was like as a person. I did grow to like her as the novel progressed, however. She is smart and I loved her determination to work out the mystery behind the birthday cards, the game, and those who had gone missing. While Dr Bloom is the main character, her partner (in a work sense), Marcus Jameson, also plays a significant role in this novel, and I liked him immediately. He’s quite different to Augusta, and has a very interesting past. He's a great character, and I loved the friendly banter between these two colleagues, which comes across as warm and realistic.

Deakin does the psychological elements of the novel brilliantly, which isn’t too surprising given that she is a psychologist herself. Dr Bloom’s character and the profiling of those who have gone missing come across really well, and show Deakin’s expertise without bogging the story down in unnecessary jargon. I did find that I worked out the twists in the novel before they were revealed, but I still found this to be an entertaining read.